Skin

by Patricia Rosemoor

  A choking sound parted her lips. Luscious full lips that he’d barely tasted the night before. With one hand cupping the flesh of her breast, he snaked the other around her waist and pulled her into him. And then he kissed her. Not the light brush of lips on lips, but a deep exploration that involved open mouths and thrusting tongues. At least he thrust his into her wet warmth the way he wanted to thrust his aching flesh into her body.

  Lilith moaned and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, scraped the back of his neck with her nails. The sensation pulled all the way down to his groin.

  Mindless with desire, he tugged her nipple in the same rhythm his tongue flicked hers. He pressed her back against the counter and ground himself into her until she spread her thighs. She shifted, and he felt her hand on him, stroking his length through his jeans. If he didn’t stop right now, he was going to come right there.

  Only he wasn’t going to be the one to call a halt to this.

  “Hey, you two, take it outside!”

  Lilith stiffened in his arms, and Michael stayed directly in front of her to protect her from the security guard’s view.

  “Give us a minute, and we’ll be out of here,” Michael said.

  “You got sixty seconds.”

  And when he heard the guy step out of the room, Michael removed his hand, stepped back and cursed himself for pushing this. Too fast. Too soon.

  Her expression odd, almost wounded, Lilith straightened her dress and grabbed her bag and refused to look at him.

  “Come back to my place,” he said.

  “You have to be kidding.”

  “Or I can come to yours.”

  She tried shoving by him, but Michael stepped in front of her. “We need to talk.”

  “I have nothing to say.”

  “I do, starting with you need to quit this place.”

  Her eyes widened as she finally looked at him. “What?”

  “You made yourself a target tonight.”

  “I didn’t do anything the others girls don’t.”

  “I don’t care what they do,” he said. “I care that what you did was dangerous.”

  “I can handle it.”

  “I don’t think you understand.”

  “I can’t quit.”

  “Why not?” He pushed to get her to admit the truth. “Why can’t you go back to your real life?”

  “This is my real life. For now.”

  With that, she shoved by him. Michael didn’t try to stop her, merely followed her out the back door and watched her get into a familiar Jaguar before zooming away.

  oOo

  LILITH WAS HALFWAY home before suspecting she was being followed.

  Her thoughts had been wrapped up in Michael. In Gabe’s warning to be careful around him. In that hot kiss in the dressing room, a prelude to having sex with him if not for the interruption. She’d been so turned on that she would have done anything with him. So turned on that she couldn’t stop thinking about Michael after driving off.

  Thoughts that nearly caused an accident, not with another car, but with a bike that shot out of nowhere in the middle of the night. She’d thrown on the brakes but had come inches from creaming the rider, who had given her the finger before riding off.

  Lilith had been so shaken that she’d pulled over to the curb to regroup.

  And had glanced in her rearview mirror to see another set of vehicle lights stop. The other driver pulled over, as well.

  Her fingers tightened on the steering wheel and, carefully watching the other car’s lights in the rearview mirror, she started off again.

  The other vehicle slid away from the curb and stayed just far enough behind her that she couldn’t make out any details other than it was a dark-colored passenger car. Probably black.

  She wanted to believe in coincidences. Wanted to think the other driver would turn off at the next light.

  The other vehicle continued right behind her.

  Her stomach knotted at the idea of someone following her. She had to be sure. She turned down a side street. And then another. And then a third. The lights stayed some distance back, but they were still there when she looped around to the arterial street.

  Close to Hannah’s place now, she didn’t know what to do. If this was the killer, she would lead him straight to it. Then again, if this was the killer, he already knew the address.

  If only she’d added Pucinski’s number to her cell, she could call him, but she couldn’t stop now to dig out the card and punch in the number.

  At the intersection ahead, the light was about to change, and there were cars waiting to move on both sides of the cross street. She gunned the accelerator and made a run through the intersection. Brakes screeched and horns blared at her, but when she glanced up into the mirror, she was relieved that the other vehicle hadn’t been able to get through. She sped the rest of the way back to Hannah’s place. The Jaguar’s tires screamed as she rounded the corner.

  A minute later, she left the car at the curb and ran for the front door. Faster than dealing with the garage. She got inside and engaged the dead bolt. Through windows cut into the wooden panel, she could see lights from another vehicle slowly approaching.

  Her hands were shaking when she pulled out her cell phone and Pucinski’s card. She somehow managed to punch in the detective’s number. One ring... two... and then...

  “Pucinski!” He growled. “It’s nearly 4 a.m. This better be good.”

  “It’s Lilith Mitchell. I’m at Hannah’s place. Someone followed me from the club.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “I tried to lose him. He’s out there now.” She could still see the car idling in front of the building...

  “Make sure the doors and windows are locked. I’ll call it in to get a squad out there, and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  Lilith was already checking the locks before she turned off her cell. Checking out the windows. The lights sat out there, unmoving. Was the driver still inside the car? Or was he just outside looking for a way in to get her?

  He was playing games with her, trying to break down her confidence and make her question her own capabilities. And he was doing a fine job on her. While she’d learned all the skills necessary to defend herself, she’d never had to use them. Now she wasn’t certain they would be enough.

  The fear-filled seventeen-year-old girl who ran away to school and left behind her little sister was still inside her.

  Lilith realized how truly afraid the killer had made her – a gut-deep, painful, churning, awful fear that made her chest tighten and put a lump in her throat.

  What if her plan failed and Hannah died?

  Waiting for Pucinski to show, Lilith faced some truths about herself.

  She’d thought that by having a “normal” life, she could put her abuse behind her. That while she sympathized with the women in dangerous situations, she didn’t understand why they didn’t do whatever they must to get out. That she was angry with Hannah for putting herself in danger. And that she was angry with herself for doing what was easiest in the first place.

  When her cell phone buzzed, she nearly dropped it. She checked the ID – Pucinski.

  As she accepted the call, she saw flashing blue lights out the window. “Detective?” But the headlights that had followed her were nowhere to be seen. “The squad car is here but I think whoever followed me is gone.”

  “I’ll be there in a few minutes. In the meantime, I’ll tell the officers in the squad

  to take a slow drive around the area, to look for anything suspicious. Did you see what the car looked like?

  “Dark. Full-sized, I think. That’s all I can tell you.”

  True to his word, Pucinski arrived minutes later, his young partner and two uniformed officers directly behind him. Lilith forced herself to just breathe, to relieve the tension in her chest.

  “Check the place out,” Pucinski told the officers. “Make sure no one tried to get in.” He glared at Lilith and shook his head. �
��Time for you to get out of here. Go back to your own life. Take care of yourself.”

  A tempting idea. Go back to where it was safe. To where it was easiest.

  Only she’d made a vow not to do that again.

  “I’m not going anywhere. I’m seeing this through. For my sister.”

  “Yeah, figured you’d say that. You’re gonna put yourself out there until we find her body, or until he takes you.”

  “That won’t happen. I can take care of myself.

  “Bet your sister thought she could, too.”

  The other officers came back in the room, led by Pucinski’s young partner.

  “Nothing,” DeSalvo said. “He didn’t try to get in.”

  Pucinski shook his head again. “We can’t even be sure it was him.” He frowned. “Anything else going on you didn’t tell me?”

  “Just a heavy breather.”

  “How many calls?”

  “Just one, and it was here, on Hannah’s house phone, not my cell.”

  “When?”

  “About two this afternoon.”

  He pulled out his notebook. “Write down the phone number here. I’ll see if I can get a number.”

  “It said ‘private caller.’”

  “Maybe I should assign you protection–”

  “I don’t want protection.” She didn’t want to scare the killer away. She wanted him to reveal himself.

  “–but I don’t have cause,” he finished. “The call could have been for your sister, and there’s no way we can know if the guy who followed you home tonight is the man who has her. Be careful, Miss Mitchell. And as much as I hate being woken up in the middle of the night, don’t hesitate to call me if you’re in trouble.”

  oOo

  DAWN WAS STILL an hour away when he returned to Club Paradise. The club was dark as were the nearby businesses. Not many cars on the street. No people. No witnesses.

  To be sure, he stayed in the shadows and let his gaze roam the area for any movement, any sign that someone might see him.

  Not that they would be able to describe him. He’d put on a jacket and pulled up the collar and had added a billed cap to shadow his face.

  Black and white glossies of all the dancers and waitresses lined the entryway. He stared at the photo of Lilith Mitchell looking so much like Anna Youngheart. He’d already added Anna’s photo to his permanent collection. And undoubtedly within a matter of days, he would add Anna herself.

  But fortune smiled on him. He had the opportunity to up the stakes. To do something he’d never before done.

  Two-for-one.

  Doing them both together would give him a new high.

  How could he pass up that thrill?

  Giving the area one last look to make sure he was alone, he pulled tools from his pocket. First he secured the suction cup directly in front of Lilith’s photo. And then he scored the glass. Using the suction cup, he pulled free a rectangle of glass and set it down at his feet.

  The photo easily came free from the board.

  “That’s it. Don’t get too confident, Lilith,” he said, stroking the V of her waitress costume, imagining he could feel the fullness and warmth of her breasts. He went instantly hard. “Soon I’ll have you right where I want you.”

  In the meantime, he had an easy solution to take care of his pressing need.

  oOo

  Chapter 14

  LILITH HOPED all would be forgiven at her Street Survival class the next day.

  Day 5 since her sister was taken.

  With nothing to go on, with only the club as a resource to learn anything, she had to find a way to keep her mind occupied, if only for a short while. A good work out would relieve some of the stress.

  Women in loose or exercise clothing were gathering, stretching, waiting for class to begin. Some watched her with wary expressions, but others smiled and one even gave her a thumb’s-up.

  The padded man’s back was turned to Lilith as he adjusted his protection.Jack hadn’t accepted her apology last time, and she couldn’t help wondering how he would feel about her being here today.

  Elena gave her a welcoming hug. “I wish you’d move back into your own place, Valkyrie misses you.”

  “That makes two of us. Thanks for taking care of her.”

  “Come back to work, Lilith. To your own life.”

  Lilith wished she could do exactly that, but her own wishes were unimportant in the scheme of things right now. “I need to be in control. I can’t let Hannah down again.”

  “But you aren’t in control; that’s the point. Quit messing around with something that’s over your head.”

  “I’m not quitting anything.”

  “What’s over your head?” Carmen slid between them. “What are you two talking about?”

  How long had the girl been there? How much of their conversation had she overheard?

  “Elena’s just worried after what happened last time,” Lilith said softly. A small truth. She skipped the second part of the question and was relieved when Carmen didn’t pursue it.

  “Oh,” the girl said. “Jack’s not here tonight. I think you scared him off.”

  “So who is our volunteer?” Lilith asked.

  The padded man turned toward them, face protection in his hand.

  Lilith’s eyes widened when she saw who it was. Stepping away from Carmen and Elena, she spoke in a low tone. “Gabe, what are you doing here?”

  “I wanted to see if you’re as good as you think you are.” He locked gazes with her. “I’m ready whenever you are.”

  Her heart sped up a beat. She was no fool. This wasn’t any kind of coincidence. Gabe wanted to scare her off. Normally they worked out with a partner to warm up, then simulated attacks in the second half of the class. She glanced around to see the instructor watching them. Apparently Gabe had set up an exception with her. To teach her a lesson?

  “All right,” she said. “Then let’s do it.”

  Gabe donned his headgear, and Lilith held her palms out toward him as he stepped closer and started to circle her. Her mouth went dry, and her breath quickened. Her mind raced as she tried to figure out why he was really doing this. Concern? Or did he feel personally challenged somehow?

  She sidestepped, keeping square with him.

  He continued forward and tried to grab her, but Lilith let loose with a hand strike.

  Gabe blocked with his arm and returned the same. One blow glanced off her shoulder hard, but she refused to cry out. She ducked the second.

  Realizing Gabe was playing it for real, Lilith was in control of herself but pumped.

  And so was the audience. She heard the excited whispers, as if they knew that this time, their volunteer wasn’t going to so easily let her get the upper hand.

  Gabe grabbed Lilith. She tried snap-kicking his kneecap, but he avoided her foot and spun her off balance.

  She flew to the ground. He was on her instantly.

  The other women gasped.

  “Stop!” Elena’s cry was joined by several other worried voices.

  Gabe didn’t hear. Or he didn’t care to hear. He had Lilith down and got on top of her. She fought him as hard as she could, but she couldn’t budge him. He was too heavy. Lilith was getting the worst of the attack – Gabe was simulating a potential rape, and she couldn’t seem to do anything about it.

  The instructor pushed her way to the mat. “The two of you can stop now. This has gone far enough.”

  “No!” Lilith said. She might be frustrated, but she was determined to prove herself.

  A sharp strike on the arm didn’t budge Gabe. He probably didn’t feel it through all that padding. She went for his head, but he ducked. She relaxed for a few seconds as if giving up, and then, truly desperate, used every ounce of strength in her body to send Gabe flying off her.

  He sprawled back on the mat, and she used the heel of her foot to chop him in the face mask.

  Audience response was loud and enthusiastic.

  Flushed wit
h victory, Lilith rose and offered Gabe a hand up.

  To his credit, he took it. He removed the headgear, and she saw his smile before he quickly hid it.

  “You don’t want to say it, do you?” she asked, feeling good about something for once. “That I can take care of myself.”

  “Not bad.” And then he grinned. “But not good enough. I let you win so you wouldn’t be embarrassed.”

  “No, you didn’t.”

  Gabe raised an eyebrow in challenge. “You’re sure about that?”

  Lilith’s smile faded. She didn’t know whether or not to believe him.

  With a wink, he backed off and left the room, now alive with women chattering.

  “That was awesome,” Carmen said. “You’re awesome.”

  “Thanks. I needed to know I could do that if necessary.”

  “Not just awesome here. You did it, Lilith. Poppi said I don’t have to drop out of school. You convinced Mama, and she convinced him.”

  “That’s wonderful!” Lilith hugged Carmen.

  A small victory, perhaps, but an important one. Carmen now had hope for her future. Something Lilith hadn’t been able to give to her own sister.

  “Will you practice with me?” the girl asked.

  Usually Lilith practiced with Elena, but her friend said, “Go ahead. I’ll get another partner.”

  So Lilith watched Carmen carefully as the instructor led them through lunges, kicks and hand strikes. She was a fast learner. A half hour passed quickly, and while she was sweating, the teenager looked happier than she had in days. Then they were asked to change partners, and another teenager asked Carmen to practice with her.

  Time sped by. All the while she went through her routine, Lilith wondered if Gabe had really given her the victory. When the class finally came to an end, the room cleared out fast. Lilith and Elena followed behind the others as they headed down the hall to the locker room.

  “Carmen is a quick study,” Elena said.

  “She’s not only smart, she’s determined. I just hope her parents see that and do whatever they have to so that she succeeds in getting through college.”